Soea-bedstead



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS L. GILLILAND AND JOS. R. WAGONER, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

SOFA-BEDSTEAD.

Specicaton of Letters Patent No. 9,726, dated May 17, 1853.

Bedsteads, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact descript-ion, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings,

which make part of this specification, and in y which- Figure 1represents a view in perspective of our invention as adjusted for asofa. Fig. 2 represents an elevation of the back of t-he sofa. Fig. 3represents a view in perspective of o-ur apparatus as adjusted for abedstead and Fig. 4L a vertical cross section showingthe upper half ofthe sofa partly turned over in the act of forming a bedstead.

The operation of this sofabedstead, including its self adjustment, willbe more clearly understood after an examination of its several parts.

W'hen shut up and seen in front as in Fig. l, it has the outward formand appearance of a sofa. The upper half (A) above the joint (a) whichforms t-he back and arms of the sofa', is constructedseparate from theframe below, but is attached thereto by hinges (b) so that while thelower half or frame is fixed in its position, the upper half above thejoint (al) opens, or turns over, forward upon the hinges (b) to form abedstead, as exhibited in Fig. 3.

The lower edge of the front-board (6) is hinged to the lower part of theframe as shown in the cross section and by red lines (d d); and itsupper edge is held to its place by the sacking (s) of the seat of thesofa, which is attached thereto. This front edge of the sacking (s) itwill be seen is att-ached farther forward than the hinges b consequentlywhen the upper part of the sofa is turned forward upon those hinges, thecanvas sacking of the sofa will be partially relaxed. The canvas beingthus relaxed the front board (6) will turn forward and downward on it-shinges (rl) the advantage of which movement will be hereafter specifiedin connection with the description of the sofa opened and extended as abed as shown in Fig. 3.

The back of the sofa as shown in Fig. 2, has two shafts or rollers (66'), one secured to the lower edge of the upper part of the sofa and theother to the upper edge of the lower part, so that the joint (a) passesbetween the rollers. Two detents (f f) are attached to the back andfitted to the pinions (g, g,) at the extremities of the upper shaft,which is thus comparatively fixed but can at will be turned to take upor let out the sofa sacking in order that it may be more or lessstretched by the turning over of the seat. To this shaft is attached thesacking of theI sofa and of the bed. The other end of the sacking of thebed is fastened to, and partly wound around the lower shaft (6').

Now suppose the upper or seat part turned forward, then downward,whereby the shaft (6) will be carried over to a level with the shaft(6') and the canvas sacking (6) duly stretched for the bed as exhibitedin Fig. 3, the salne movement also rotates the shaft j (6') by unwindingthe straps therefrom which also winds up the sacking (6) in the samedegree as the straps (n) are unwound. This turning of the roller (6)elevates the head and foot boards and which are fitted with racks intowhich pinions (r2) on shaft (6) are geared. These boards are fitted withdove-tailed ribs (j that slide in vertical grooves (la 76) of the frame(B of the sofa; an extension (Z) of the foot board is pivoted to (7L) soas to be turned by the hand in either direction; but instead of thepivot it might have been simply fastened at its lower edge to the frame(B as at (m). The side straps have buckles by which their length may beregulated as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. These straps are passed over andattached to the shaft (6) and run under the shafts (6') just as thesacking runs over it, thus when stretched or tending to turn the shaft(6') in an oppo-site direction; and hence by lengthening 0r shorteningthese straps, the tension of the canvas sacking (O) will be regulated.

The turning forward of the front board (6) of the sofa has beendescribed. Had it been fixed, there would now be a hard ridge along themiddle of the bed; but by turning forward, and downward, it leaves everypart of the stretched sacking or canvas (C) included between the sides,the head and foot boards, without any prop and free to yield.

To reconvert the bedstead into a sofa, the bedding is first drawn intothat part of the sacking between (6) and (6') then as the One otherpeculiarity remains to be noticed, which is that the upper half throughits hinges acts as a loaded lever in keeping the canvas (s) of the seatproperly stretched, and When converted into a bed, it similarly acts inan opposite direction to stretch the canvas on which the bedding rests.

Having thus described my improved sofa bedstead what I claim thereinas'new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. The hingedfront-board so arranged that by the act of turning over the seat toconvert the apparatus from a sofa into a bed the front board (c) shallturn down to prevent it from forming a hard ridge under the saCking,which Would be uncomfortable to lie on, and when the seat is turned backagain to reconvert the bed into a sofa, the front board shall be liftedup again by the act of turning the seat back into the proper position tosupport the sacking of the seat.

2. Also the arrangement of the head and foot boards so that the act ofshutting up the bed will depress them, and opening `it out will elevatethem again, substantially as herein set forth.

3. The arrangement ofthe turning seat of the sofa and the saclrings ofthe bed and seat in such manner that by the turning of the seat to formthe bed, the sacking of the latter shall be stretched, and by theturning up again of the seat to re-form the sofa, the sacking of thelatter shall be stretched substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto subscribed our naines.

LEWIS L. GILLILAND. JOSEPH R. WAGONER. Witnesses:

Trios. B. TILToN, WILLIAM ROBINSON.

